Hawaii: Park rangers offer free tours of Big Island's Volcano House

Sign with quote

Jay Jones

The Volcano House lodge sits on the edge of the Kilauea volcano. A sign, erected along a walkway behind the hotel, carries a quote from Mark Twain, one of its most-famous guests. "The smell of sulfur is strong, but not unpleasant to a sinner," he wrote.

The Volcano House lodge sits on the edge of the Kilauea volcano. A sign, erected along a walkway behind the hotel, carries a quote from Mark Twain, one of its most-famous guests. "The smell of sulfur is strong, but not unpleasant to a sinner," he wrote. (Jay Jones)

Jay Jones

Visitors to Volcano House on Hawaii’s Big Island can learn about the unique history of its oldest inn through a new tour being offered by park rangers starting Friday (today).

Volcano House, on the edge of the active Kilauea volcano inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, has welcomed visitors from around the world since a modest grass hut was erected on the site in 1846. Guests have included writers Robert Louis Stevenson and Mark Twain.

Rangers will lead visitors on one-hour walking tours each day starting at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. The walk includes a stop at a replica of the original inn before moving on to the more substantial Volcano House built in 1877.

The current Volcano House was built in 1941 after a fire. During a multimillion-dollar renovation last year, the 33-room lodge was restored to its 1940s looks. It is marketed as part of Aqua Hospitality’s Monogram Hotel Collection.

The guided walks are free, but normal national park admission fees apply.